This one was easy. The Browns’ defense finished the season as a top-10 unit (eighth in total DVOA) and top five in some metrics. For a team with a new coaching regime and struggling to find an offensive identity, it seems wise to not only maintain but improve the defense. I’m a big believer in making your strength stronger. Terrell, because of his size, is being projected as a slot corner and should excel there. The list of his virtues is strong: He not only has experience playing outside but has excelled there (476 snaps outside and 112 snaps in the slot for 2025); also, he has a great deal of experience in both man and zone splitting 60% and 40%.
Versatility is certainly a value, but I just love his aggressive playmaking. The stat that jumped for me was that in two years he had 8 forced fumbles with 5 of those coming in 2025. He plays heavy in the run support (PFF grade of 85 in that category) and is a quick and effective blitzer (3 sacks in 2025). Maybe I like him because he has Lion written all over him. What I see is that despite his size, he plays like an LB. Dane Brugler in his evaluation recognizes that Terrell “plays with a ‘Honey Badger’ aura.” Last season the Browns traded off Greg Newsome in a fire sale so Terrell would be an instant upgrade over Myles Harden while providing depth insurance on the outside.